Parents

Household Safety: Preventing Choking

Putting things in their mouths is one of the ways that babies and small children explore their worlds. Choking is usually caused by food, toys, and other small objects that can easily lodge in a child's small airway — anything that fits can be a danger.

Pay special attention to the following to protect your kids from choking:

Food

Encourage kids to sit when eating and to chew thoroughly. Teach them to chew and swallow their food before talking or laughing.

Be especially vigilant during adult parties, when nuts and other foods might be easily accessible to small hands. Clean up promptly and carefully, and check the floor for dropped foods that can cause choking.

Never let kids run, play sports, or ride in the car with gum, candy, or lollipops in their mouths.

Be sure to read all manufacturers' food labels carefully to determine choking risks.

Don't give kids younger than 4 years old any hard, smooth foods that can partially or completely block the windpipe, such as:

nuts of any type

sunflower seeds

watermelon with seeds

cherries with pits

raw carrots, peas, and celery

popcorn

hard candy

raw apples and pears

Some soft foods also can cause choking and should be avoided:

cheese cubes

hot dogs

sausages

grapes

caramels

These soft foods, except caramels, can be served if they're chopped into small pieces or peeled if they have skin. Spoonfuls of peanut butter and chewing gum also should be regarded as potential choking hazards.

Toys, Balloons, and Other Small Objects

Get on your hands and knees and check the floors, under rugs, and within grabbing range (on shelves, in cushions, under sheets, etc.) for small parts or items that could pose a choking hazard, including:

balloons

toys with small parts and doll accessories

coins

safety pins

small office supplies (paperclips, tacks, etc.)

marbles and small balls

nails, bolts, and screws

erasers

batteries

broken crayons

jewelry (rings, earrings, pins, etc.)

small caps for bottles, including chocolate syrup, pancake syrup, and soda (kids may try to lick the sweet drops out of the caps, which can become lodged in the airway)

Always follow all manufacturers' age recommendations when buying toys. Some toys have small parts that can cause choking, so heed all warnings on a toy's packaging.

Never buy vending-machine toys for small children; these toys do not have to meet safety regulations and often contain small parts.

Be Prepared

If you're expecting a baby or already have a child, it's a good idea to:

Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the Heimlich maneuver.

Keep the following numbers near the phone (for yourself and caregivers):

toll-free poison-control number: 1-800-222-1222

doctor's number

parents' work and cell phone numbers

neighbor's or nearby relative's number (if you need someone to watch other kids in an emergency)

Make a first-aid kit and keep emergency instructions inside.

Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

Maintaining a Safe, Kid-Friendly Environment

To check your childproofing efforts, get down on your hands and knees in every room of your home to see things from a child's perspective. Be aware of your child's surroundings and what might be potentially dangerous.

Completely childproofing your home can be difficult. If you can't childproof the entire house, you can shut the doors (and install doorknob covers) to any room a child shouldn't enter to prevent wandering into places that haven't been properly childproofed. For sliding doors, doorknob covers and childproof locks are also great for keeping little ones from leaving your home.

Of course, childproofing cannot replace adult supervision as the best way to help prevent kids from getting injured.

Whether you have a baby, toddler, or school-age child, your home should be a haven where your little one can explore safely. After all, touching, holding, climbing, and exploring are the activities that develop your child's body and mind.